Ava DuVernay Set to Direct Nipsey Hussle Documentary

The Oscar nominated director has been tapped to bring a feature-length documentary on late rapper, entrepreneur and community activist Nipsey Hussle; the doc will focus on his life, work and activism until he was gunned down outside his Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles last March.

In a message posted to Nipsey Hussle’s Marathon Clothing store, representatives from Hussle’s family noted that “no deal has been inked” and they are “currently in negotiations with Netflix for this project.”

Regardless if it’s picked up by Netflix or not, the film will be in the most talented hands. DuVernay’s previous films include the Oscar-nominated documentary, 13th, which explores racial inequality in America through the lens of the country’s prison system, and of course the critically acclaimed limited series, When They See Us, which won an Creative Arts Emmy for outstanding movie/limited series casting.

DuVernay has long been a supporter of Hussle, and in 2017, had him serve as a panelist to “offer his perspective on how the for-profit prison system was decimating inner-city communities.”